“To ferment your own food is to lodge a small but eloquent protest – on behalf of the senses and the microbes – against the homogenization of flavors and food experiences now rolling like a great, undifferentiated lawn across the globe. It is also a declaration of independence from an economy that would much prefer we remain passive consumers of its standardized commodities, rather than creators of idiosyncratic products expressive of ourselves and of the places where we live, because your pale ale or sourdough bread or kimchi is going to taste nothing like mine or anyone else’s.” ~ Michael Pollan, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation
“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”
~ Michael Pollan
“We are at once the problem and the only possible solution to the problem.”
~ Michael Pollan, Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education
Are you curious about the many ways to avoid food waste and preserve food and your harvest?
Do you know that you can make vinegar with almost any fruit’s scraps? That you can ferment almost any vegetable to extend their shelf life and that you can create a “root cellar” even in an apartment? That you don’t need to throw bread away when it becomes stale?
Do you know that you can save lots of $$$ if you buy local and seasonal vegetables and fruits (or better, grow your own) and then preserve the harvest so you don’t need to buy anything during winter and rainy days?
Canning, freezing and dehydrating are great, but all use energy and some (as canning) may also require special equipment. Also, canning fruits relies on lots of sugar..however, they are still great ways to preserve food.
Our great-grandmas and peoples from all over the world and different cultures used food preservation through natural dehydration, salt, smoke, oil, lacto fermentation and the easiest of them all: root cellars!
I’m super excited to be able to share my humble knowledge and practice of these ancient techniques through upcoming workshops sponsored by the Surrey/White Rock Food Action Coalition and Vancity.
Here is a list of dates:
- Intro to Food Preservation/Food waste prevention (June 27)
- Food Fermentation (July 25)
- Pickling (August 15)
- Canning (plain fruits and marmalades – August 29)
- Canning (tomato salsas – September 12)
All the workshops will take place at the South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre and will run from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Cost: $15 for first workshop and $20 for subsequent workshops.
What you’ll get:
- New skills that you can practice and apply home to reduce food waste and your food bills!
- Super awesome handouts full of tips, recipes and resources to explore more
- A jar or two of your own creation (all the workshops are practical, we supply ingredients, jars, etc)
- Light snacks and beverages will be supplied (bring your own lunch as we will finish at 1 PM)
- New friends and a lot of fun!
Please contact Silvia for registration or information
Update your Links! Surrey/White Rock New Website!: http://surreywhiterockfoodactioncoalition.ca/